Business Leaders to Call on Congress to Act on Gun Violence
Source: New York Times
In a direct and urgent call to address gun violence in America, the chief executives of some of the nations best-known companies were set to send a letter to Senate leaders on Thursday, urging an expansion of background checks to all firearms sales and stronger red flag laws. Doing nothing about Americas gun violence crisis is simply unacceptable and it is time to stand with the American public on gun safety, the heads of 145 companies, including Levi Strauss, Twitter and Uber, say in the letter, a draft of which was shared with The New York Times.
The letter which urges the Republican-controlled Senate to enact bills already introduced in the Democrat-led House of Representatives is the most concerted effort by the business community to enter the gun debate, one of the most polarizing issues in the nation and one that was long considered off-limits. The debate and the decision to sign or not sign are a case study in how chief executives must weigh their own views and the political risks to their businesses.
To a certain extent, these C.E.O.s are putting their businesses on the line here, given how politically charged this is, said Chip Bergh, chief executive of Levi Strauss, a company whose denim jeans have long been a symbol of America. Mr. Bergh spent the last several days trying to cajole his peers into joining him and gun control advocates like Everytown, which is funded in part by Michael Bloomberg. Business leaders are not afraid to get engaged now, he added. C.E.O.s are wired to take action on things that are going to impact their business and gun violence is impacting everybodys business now.
Mr. Bergh said he was encouraged by the conversations. The tide is turning, he said, citing a spate of recent polls that show a majority of Americans in both parties support background checks and red flag laws. People were starting to be much more open-minded, he said, even when the discussion didnt conclude with a signature. Yet he is also bracing for a backlash. This has been spun by the N.R.A. as were trying to repeal the Second Amendment, Mr. Bergh said. Nothing is further from the truth.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/business/dealbook/gun-background-checks-business.html
joshdawg
(2,646 posts)to act on gun violence.
Fixed it for ya.
BumRushDaShow
(128,441 posts)By Washington Post Staff
September 12, 2019 at 7:06 a.m. EDT
The chief executives of Levi Strauss, Twitter, Reddit, Dicks Sporting Goods and others urged lawmakers to expand background checks to all firearms sales and implement stronger red flag laws, marking the latest attempt by corporate America to pressure Congress for meaningful action on gun violence.
As leaders of some of Americas most respected companies and those with significant business interests in the United States, we are writing to you because we have a responsibility and obligation to stand up for the safety of our employees, customers and all Americans in the communities we serve across the country, the executives wrote. Doing nothing about Americas gun violence crisis is simply unacceptable and it is time to stand with the American public on gun safety.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
https://beta.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2019/09/12/145-ceos-implore-senate-leaders-to-act-on-gun-violence-saying-doing-nothing-is-simply-unacceptable/
bucolic_frolic
(43,044 posts)will inject some order into the chaos, and instill a lifetime of military discipline.
IronLionZion
(45,380 posts)I guess they'll have to get off Twitter, stop shopping at Walmart, burn their Levi's jeans, give up on medicine and groceries, etc.
Joshua Kushner was even at the Women's march in 2017 so they probably have some interesting holiday meals in that family.
hatrack
(59,574 posts)Let them stop fucking giving money to Republicans and right-wing PACs, effective immediately, and I might be persuaded to give a shit.
Other, the C-Suite can fuck right off with their Strongly Worded Letters.
No more words. Actions. Now.
Maxheader
(4,370 posts)meh...Get news coverage...promote themselves...certain benefits by going this direction..
Better than nothing ..huh?...